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2026 Connect Money Next Gen Wealth Management Awards
Winners
- Cristina Wiebelt-Smith: Redefining Wealth Advice Through Education, Community Impact
- Jack Reifsnider: Linking Capital, Community, and Client Outcomes
- Ximena Silva-Avila: Pairing Values-Based Planning with Community Advocacy
- Scott Frazin: Blending Personal Engagement with Next Gen Advisory Approach
- Ken Vendley: Driving Growth Through Mentorship and Holistic Planning
- Michael Bueti: Scaling Growth, Innovation and Next Gen Client Engagement
- Abhishek Vakil: Aligning Personal Performance with Firmwide Growth
- John B. Petrick: Advancing Next Gen RIA Framework
- Alan Simeon: Transformation Through Growth, Innovation and Mentorship
- Julian Locke: Expanding Industry Access Through Mentorship
- Dana Hall: Redefining Wealth Creation Through Community Equity Innovation
- Alex Pape: Bringing AI, Unified Portfolios to the Advisor Desktop
- Nicholas Petrelli: Powering Growth Through Client Acquisition and Team Leadership
- Kelly Ann Winget: Challenges PE Norms With Access and Innovation
- Ashton Lawrence: Building $200M Practice Around Trust, Planning and Education
- Jacob Gurock: From Messaging to Mentorship
- Robert Howland: Modernizing a Legacy Firm While Deepening Client-Centered Advice
- Mamadou-Abou Sarr: Building $1.4B Quant Platform With High-Touch Innovation
- Collin Lyon: Rewiring Tech, Talent, and Team-Based Planning
- Lucas Mijares: Putting Values at the Center of Wealth Planning
- Danielle White: Building a One-Stop Operations Platform for Independent Advisors
- Susy Thomas: Bringing Athlete’s Discipline to Client-Centered Planning
- Rebecca Trethewey: Strengthening Platform With Retirement, Benefits Expertise
- Gautam Muthusamy: Accelerating Growth Through Personalized Advisory and Strategic Leadership
- Joseph Spina: Bridging Institutional Research and Private Wealth Advice
- Lowell Lyon: Prioritizing Simplicity in Wealth Management
- Greg Giardino: Turning Personal Experience Into Client-Focused Advisory Approach
- Hannah Forney: Guiding Families and Athletes Through Wealth Decisions
- Zach Schear: Fueling Record Growth and Transformation
- Megan Higgins: Driving Operational Innovation, Next Gen Talent Development
Ximena Silva-Avila: Pairing Values-Based Planning with Community Advocacy
Perennial Financial Services VP builds a new market in Minnesota while advancing recovery, safety, and financial empowerment
Ximena Silva-Avila is emerging as a next-generation leader in wealth management, combining market expansion, operational insight and community engagement to drive both firm growth and broader impact.
At just 25, Silva-Avila became the firm’s first advisor in Minnesota, establishing a new regional presence and laying the groundwork for expansion. Within her first year, she helped recruit an additional advisor, accelerating growth while demonstrating early leadership beyond her individual production. She continues to play a key role in recruitment, serving as a trusted voice for prospective advisors evaluating entrepreneurial platforms.
Internally, Silva-Avila contributes to strategic discussions around technology and operational enhancements, helping refine workflows and improve advisor efficiency. Her focus on scalable infrastructure supports the firm’s ability to deliver high-quality, fiduciary advice in an increasingly complex environment.
Outside the firm, her impact is equally significant. She serves as Chair of Minnesota Recovery Connection, guiding efforts to expand access to recovery support services, while also supporting organizations such as The Sanneh Foundation and the Domestic Abuse Legal Advocacy Center. Through pro bono financial education, she empowers individuals across the Twin Cities to build financial literacy and long-term stability.
A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional and Certified SRI Counselor, Ximena blends fiduciary rigor with values-aligned investing, integrating environmental, social, and governance considerations into comprehensive plans. Her background in politics and public policy gives clients a policy-aware lens on long-term planning, while her work with young professionals, women, and clients in transition broadens who can access high-quality advice. As one of the youngest advisory board members for a major analytics platform, she brings next-generation voices into the tools shaping the industry’s future.